Career Center

A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified individual. This vacancy will remain open until filled. The first cut-off date is 07/05/2022. Additional applications will be referred as needed. The clinical & programmatic activities subsumed under this position are conducted as part of the Primary Care Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) incumbent is administratively within Psychology Service & Mental Health Service Line with primary assignment to the PCMH program. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work. Licensure. Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level. Loss of Licensure or Certification. Once licensed or certified, social workers must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted independent license or certification to remain qualified for employment. Loss of licensure or certification will result in removal from the GS-0185 social worker series and may result in termination of employment. Grandfathering Provision. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure or certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all of the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure or certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all of the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. NOTE: If social workers covered under the grandfathering provision of the 1991 Federal law regarding licensure or certification of VHA social workers leave the GS-0185 social work series, they lose the grandfathering protection. If they choose to return at a later date to the GS-0185 series, they must be licensed or certified to qualify for employment as a social worker. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Senior Social Worker, GS-12 Experience/Education. The candidate must have at least two years of experience post advanced practice clinical licensure and should be in a specialized area of social work practice of which, one year must be equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Senior social workers have experience that demonstrates possession of advanced practice skills and judgment. Senior social workers are experts in their specialized area of practice. Senior social workers may have certification or other post-masters training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship or equivalent supervised professional experience in a specialty. Licensure/Certification. Senior social workers must be licensed or certified by a state at the advanced practice level which included an advanced generalist or clinical examination, unless they are grandfathered by the state in which they are licensed to practice at the advanced practice level (except for licenses issued in California, which administers its own clinical examination for advanced practice) and they must be able to provide supervision for licensure. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in specialty treatment programs or with special patient populations. This includes individual, group, and/or family counseling or psychotherapy and advanced level psychosocial and/or case management. Ability to incorporate complex multiple causation in differential diagnosis and treatment within approved clinical privileges or scope of practice. Knowledge in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of social work practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes. Ability to provide specialized consultation to colleagues and students on the psychosocial treatment of patients in the service delivery area, as well as role modeling effective social work practice skills. Ability to expand clinical knowledge in the social work profession, and to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area. Preferred Experience: Licensed with discipline Experience providing individual and group psychotherapy for a wide array of diagnoses Experience as a therapist in the VA Experience in PCMHI and/or primary care setting References: VA Handbook 5005/120 Part Ii Appendix G39 Social Worker Qualification Standard GS-0185 Veterans Health Administration September 10, 2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: Light carrying (under 15 pounds), light carrying (under 15 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (1 hour), standing (1 hour), operation of crane, truck, tractor or motor vehicle, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, both eyes required, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid permitted), mental/emotional stability and cognitive stability. ["VA Careers - Social Work: https://youtube.com/embed/enRhz_ua_UU Duties include, but are not limited to:\nAdministrative May be selected by the Chief of Psychology to serve as the psychology service representative on various Psychology Service, Mental Health Service Line, System, or VISN administrative committees or work groups. May coordinate programming within both various mental health and primary care programs in coordination with managers of such programs as well as with discipline supervisors of affected staff assigned to these programs. Clinical Providing a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including the use of psychological testing for patients within VATVCBHCS in areas of special interest and within scope of expertise, referring to the PCMHI psychologist for guidance and interpretation as appropriate. Performing psychological evaluations for individuals with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations within scope of expertise, referring to the PCMHI psychologist for guidance and interpretation as appropriate. These evaluations employ a comprehensive diagnostic interview, review of available records, collateral contact when available, as well as objective, and cognitive tests when indicated. Providing a range of psychological therapeutic interventions, including group and individual formats, with individuals with mental health and medical disorders utilizing empirically supported modalities when indicated, within scope of expertise, referring to the PCMHI psychologist for guidance and interpretation as appropriate. Services may be delivered in a face-to-face and/or telehealth format. Academic/teaching/research May be asked to serve as a clinical supervisor for unlicensed social worker interns. May be asked to prepare and teach seminars/workshops for VATVCBHCS trainees/staff on topics within interest/competency areas. Work Schedule: Fulltime, Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for a highly qualified individual\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required\nThis is a Bargaining Unit position"]